Depleted stake replacement apparatus for cup dispenser

ABSTRACT

A compact power-actuated assembly for storing paper cups in vertical columns and periodically shifting individual columns thereof laterally over a cup drop mechanism, including a linkage system for selectively actuating the latter to remove individual cups from an over-disposed column or stack; the shifting of the cup stacks being operatively responsive to the depletion of a supply of cups over the cup drop mechanism.

United States Patent [191, Rockola Nov. 13, 1973 DEPLETED STAKEREPLACEMENT APPARATUS FOR CUP DISPENSER [75] Inventor: David C. Rockola,Lincolnwood, Ill.

[73] Assignee: Rockola Manufacturing Corp,

Chicago, 11!.

[22] Filed: July 17, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 272,206

[52] 11.8. CI. 221/11, 221/1 [51] Int. Cl. G07f 11/60 {58] Field ofSearch 221/11, 106, 108, 221/110, 111

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Mortara 21 11 x 2,559,6907/l95l Stoeser 221/11 3,347,413 10/1967 Kopera ..22l/ll PrimaryExaminer-Robert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-Thomas E. KocovskyAttorney.lames A. Davis et al.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A compact power-actuated assembly for storing paper cupsin vertical columns and periodicallyshifting individual columns thereoflaterally over a cup drop mechanism, including a linkage system forselectively actuating the latter to remove individual cups from anover-disposed column or stack; the shifting of the cup stacks beingoperatively responsive to the depletion of a supply of cups over the cupdrop mechanism.

3 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEI] Ill" 1 3 I975 SHEET 1 LF 5PATENTEU IIIIV 13 1873 SHEET 2 [IF 5 DEPLETED STAKE REPLACEMENTAPPARATUS FOR CUP DISPENSER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates generally to automatic vending machines utilizing paper cups andis particularly directed to an improved combination of elements forstoring, handling and dispensing paper cups.

The vending machine art has heretofore developed automatic cupdispensing means in which rotatably driven magazine means areconventionally employed to store a plurality of vertical stacks orcolumns of empty cups; the magazine being periodically indexed rotatablyto successively position a stored stack of cups registeringly over a cupdrop mechanism capable of stripping individual cups from the lower endof the stack for delivery to a drink vending stage. Typifying suchdevelopments of the prior art is the mechanism of U. '8. Pat. No.3,576,275, issued Apr. 27, 1971, while the features of a commonly usedcup drop mechanismare disclosed in U. S. Pat. No. 3,071,292, issued Jan.1, 1963.

While the aforementioned prior developments have been generallysatisfactory for their intended purposes, the same are normally of acomplex nature requiring relatively sophisticated and costly mechanismsfor indexing the rotatable cup storage magazine and dispensing cups froma stack thereof. As a consequence, such prior known storing anddispensing devices are rela tively expensive, requiring carefulmanufacturing techniques and due to the employment of a rotatablestorage magazine, demand comparatively large and inefficient spacerequirements.

Thus the need has arisen for a relatively inexpensive, compact and yetdependable cup storage and dispensing apparatus capable of lendingitself to areas of use where space requirements are at a premium, as forexample in smaller compact drink vending machines.

The presentinvention is directed to the provision of simplifiedapparatus for storing a plurality of paper cups in vertical stacksarranged in side-by-side relation and for automatically deliveringindividual cups therefrom while providing for the automaticgravitational shifting of stored individual stacks thereof intodispensing position.

In brief, this invention contemplates a generally rectangularbox-likecup storage magazine having laterally shiftable column separators orcompartmentalizing means capable of being successively relocated withinthe storage magazine by the influence of gravity forces thereon; thesame being brought into operational position in response to the periodicdepletion of the cup supply over a conventional cup drop mechanism. Asingle electric motor is utilized to actuate the cup drop mechanism andto periodically initiate activation of the cup storage compartments intocooperating alignment with an underdisposed cup drop mechanism.

It is an important object of this invention to provide improved andsimplified mechanisms for handling and dispensing cups in automaticvending machines.

Another important object of this invention is to provide simplifiedapparatus for storing a plurality of cups in vertical columns separatedby laterally shiftable compartments capable of being gravitationallymoved to a common cup dispensing position within a storage magazine.

A still further object of this invention is to provide improved cupstorage and dispensing apparatus de- I monstrative of improved economiesof manufacture, dependability of operation and compactness.

Having thus described the present invention, the above and furtherobjects, features and advantages thereof will appear from the followingdetailed description of a preferred embodiment of its several featuresillustrated in the accompanying drawings, so as to enable those skilledin the art to comprehend and practice its teachings.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a foreshortened front elevational view of cupdispensing apparatus according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial front elevational view thereof showing a firstshifted position of the interior cup compartmentalizing means employedtherewith;

FIG. 3 is another partial front elevational view of the apparatusillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 showing a second shifted position of thecompartmentalizing means thereof;

FIG. 4 is the rear elevational view thereof;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along vantage line5-5 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows thereon;

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view thereof, illustrating features of the cupdrop mechanism and means for driving the same;

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of the means employed forinitiating gravitational shifting of the interior compartmentalizingmeans; and I FIG. 8 is another perspective view of the mechanismillustrated in FIG. 7, operationally conditioned to effect lateralshifting of the vertical stack of cups within the storage magazine.

Turning now to the general features of the present invention asdisclosed in the embodiment thereof illustrated in the drawings,reference is initially made to FIG. 1 showing the normal operatingcondition for a three-stack or column dispensing apparatus according tothis invention, which is indicated generally at 15. It will berecognized that apparatus 15 comprises magazine means 16 having interiorcompartmentalizing means 17 for dividing the interior of the magazinemeans into vertical compartments, each of which accommodates a verticalstack of cups 18 (labeled stack 1, 2 and 3 in FIG. 1). Motorized drivemeans 19 are housed beneath the lower end of the magazine means alongwith a conventional cup dispensing mechanism or cup drop 20. It will beunderstood by those familiar with the art that assembly 15 is typicallyadapted to be mounted within the hollow interior of a vending machinecabinet, usually behind a front door wall thereof, conventionallymounted on hinges for purposes of admitting repair or maintenancepersonnel to the interior of the cabinet. It also will be understoodthat the discharge of cups 18 from the cup drop mechanism 20 and means(not shown) for delivering the same to a vending stage accessible to thecustomer whereat liquid ingredients are introduced to the cup areaccording to known practice.

Turning now to the specific features of magazine means 16, reference isspecifically made to FIGS. 1 through 5 of the drawings. As shownthereat, the magazine means comprises a generally rectangularparallelopiped housing structure defined by parallel spaced planarsidewalls 25 and 26, a generally planar rectangular back wall 27, anenclosing top wall 28, a removable front cover wall 29 (see FIG. 5) anda generally rectangular bottom platform wall 30 covering over the lowerend of the rectangular magazine housing and extending beyond theperiphery thereof. (See FIGS. 1 and 5). Each of the sidewalls and 26 isbordered along its forward margin by an inwardly turned lip portion 31and 32, respectively, which cooperate with a partial front barrier wall33 located adjacent platform and formed with an offset flange portion 34along its upper margin to interlock with the removable cover wall 29 andmaintain the same in position over the open front side of the magazinehousing.

The back wall 27 of the magazine housing is distinguished by a pair ofparallel-spaced slotted openings 36 and 3'7 (see FIG. 4) inclined to thehorizontal in the upright position for the magazine as illustrated, thepurpose of which will appear presently. Hinge pintle brackets 35,38 arespot welded to the housings lefth'and sidewall 26, as viewed in FIG. 1,to provide convenient means for swing mounting the magazine within theinterior of a vending machine cabinet (see FIG. 5).

It will be appreciated that the magazine means 16 is best formed as afabricated sheet metal structure by bending the top and sidewallsthereof integrally from its planar back wall. Spot welding the severalwalls together is preferred to rigidly intertie the cabinet walls intoan integral unit. From FIG. 5 in particular, it will be appreciated thatthe bottom platform wall 30 is distinguished by an enlarged opening 39adjacent sidewall 25 of the magazine cabinet to accommodate theunderdisposed cup drop mechanism 20 and to that end also is providedwith several keyhole openings 40 and 41 for removably attaching the cupdrop mechanism 20 to the underside of platform wall 30.

Within the hollow interior of the magazine cabinet are severalcompartmentalizing means 17 which will now be described with particularreference to FIGS. 1-5 of the drawings.

As best shown in these figures, means 17 provides for storage of cups invertical stacks or columns separated by shiftable compartments foreventual disposition over the cup drop mechanism 20. To this end (seeFIG. 5) two internested compartment separators 44 and 45 are provided,each having a generally U-shaped crosssectional configuration withseparator 44 being housed within separator 45. More specifically, itwill'be noted from FIGS. 3. and 5 that the compartmentalizing separator44 is formed with two parallel-spaced sidewalls 47,48 interconnected bya planarback wall 49, the length of such walls being in accordance withthe desired height of the magazine means 16 and the stacks of cups to behoused therein.

Separator 45 is of similar shape and cross section having a planar backwall and parallel-spaced sidewalls 51 and 52 projecting at right anglesoutwardly from its lateral margins. It will be noted that while wall 51is of substantially identical shape and size with wall 48 of theseparator 44, the second wall 52 thereof is considerably foreshortenedand may be characterized more as a lip wall. The back wall 50 ofseparator 45 is further distinguished by a pair of elongated slottedopenings 53 and 54 located to align registeringly with the underlyingslotted openings 36,37 in back wall 27 of the magazine housing. Itshould be noted that the separator 45 like separator 44 is open at bothits upper and lower ends as well as along its front side and that thelateral dimension of its back wall 50 is substantially twice thecorresponding dimension for wall 49 of separator 44. Of additionalgeometric consequence is the fact that the lateral dimension of wall 50is substantially two-thirds that of the rear wall 27 of the magazine. Asa result of these dimensional relationships, separator 44 occupiessubstantially one-third of the lateral dimension of the magazine withthe space between wall 48 thereof and wall 51 of the separator 45defining substantially another one-third of the magazines interior.Similarly the spacing between wall 51 of separator 45 and wall 25 of themagazine define substantially an other one-third interior spacing whensuch elements are organized as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5 of thedrawings. These internal spacings provide three columns for cup stacksl, 2 and 3 as labeled in FIG. I, defining thereby compartments 55, 56and 57 (see FIG. 5).

Turning now to the interfitted relationship between the separators 44and 45, it will be seen from FIG. 1 that separator 45 is slidinglymounted against the interior face of the magazine back wall 27 by pairsof roller guides 58,58 and 59,59, respectively engaged with the slottedopenings 36 and 37 of the magazine back wall. In this regard the members58 and 59 are projected from the back wall 50 of the separator member 45to extend through the openings 36 and 37, respectively, whereat enlargedwashers 60 and 61 are locked on cylindrical stub shafts 62 and 63thereof respectively; being held thereto as by C-shaped locking rings orthe like. Thus the separator member 45 is slidingly mounted on the backwall 27 of the magazine.

In a similar fashion pairs of roller supports 65,65 and 66,66 extendthrough the slotted openings 53 and 54 of separator member 45 as well asthrough the slotted openings 36 and 37 of the magazine back wall, toslidingly mount separator 44 inside of separator 45. As a result of thisconstruction, separator 44 is movable relative to separator 45 and boththereof are movable relative to the magazine. housing along the pathdefined by the sloping slotted openings 36 and 37 therein. It will benoted from FIG. 1 that the lower edge of back wall 50 for the separator45 is cut at a bias from substantially its midpoint to the lefthandmargin thereof as in dicated at 68. Similarly the lower marginal edge 69of the back wall for separator 44 is cut at a bias, with the angle ofsuch cut margins substantially paralleling the slope of the slottedopenings 36 and 37.

Located immediately beneath the two separator means 44 and 45 is aninclined chute or guideway 70 of substantially V-shapedcross section;the lower ends of the cup stacks (see FIG. 1) resting thereon forsliding guidance as the separator devices 44 and 45 are translatedperiodically toward the righthand sidewall 25 of the magazine (see FIG.2).

From examination of FIGS. 1 through 3, it will be understood that inoperation stack No. 3 as viewed in FIG. 1 is sequentially translatedfrom its position adjacent the lefthand sidewall 26 of the magazine to aposition of registry over the cup drop means 20 adjacent therighthandsidewall 25 of the magazine. This sequence of operations isshown progressively in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. In order to accomplish thisfunction, drive means 19 are employed as will now be described.

With special reference to FIG. 4 of the drawings, it will be seen that alatch bar 72 is pivotally supported at one end on pivot means 73 overthe rearward face of back wall 27 for the magazine. It will be notedthat the latch bar 72 is located substantially parallel to the lowermostdisposed slotted opening 36 and slightly thereabove. The opposite orunpivoted end of bar 72 is guided on pin means 74 projecting outwardlyof back wall 27 through a slotted opening 75 formed in the latch bar.Thus pivoting movement of bar 72 is limited by the extent of slottedopening 75.

Latch bar 72 is distinguished by three latchfingers 76, 77 and 78disposed interferingly with the path of movement of an extended latchpin 79 associated with and comprising one of the sliding support members66 for the separator means 44; there being only one such extended latchpin member 79 (see FIG. 4). It further will be noted that the latchfinger 76, for example, projects inwardly from a downwardly dependingarm portion 80 formed at the outer end of the latch bar 72 and isdistinguished by a sloping cam edge 81. Latch finger 77 on the otherhand is located below the slotted opening 36 in the normal dispositionfor the latch bar 72; the same extending inwardly at right angles from adepending arm portion 82 formed on the'latch bar 72 in spaced relationto portion 80 thereof. Latch finger 78 is formedat the lower end of athird depending arm portion 83 located substantially midway of thelength of latch bar 72; with latch finger 78 like 76 extendingdownwardly beyond the upper margin of slot 36 in the normal FIG. 4positioning of the latchbar 72 so as to interferingly engage latch pin79 as the latter moves along slot 36. Depending arm 83, like arm 80 alsois provided with a sloping cam surface 84 on the side thereof adjacentor closest to the pivot pin 73. These two cam surfaces 84 and 81cooperate with pin 79 to automatically lift the latch bar 72 upwardlyabout its pivot center 73 in response to movement of the pin 79 upwardlyalong the slope of slot 36 when returning the compartmentalizingseparators 44 and 45 to their FIG. 1 positions.

As shown best in FIG. 4, latch pin 79 is normally latched against finger76 when the separator means 44 and 45 are in their FIG. 1 positions.When the cups in stack No. 1, as illustrated in FIG. l, are depleted,lifting the latch'bar 72 permits the latch pin 79 to escape the latchfinger 76 allowing separators 44 and 45 to slide down sloping slots 36and 37 toward wall 25' of the magazine. This movement is effected bygravity until pin 79 abuts against secondary latch finger 78, which ispositively insured by clockwise pivoting actuation of the latch bar 72.In order to provide positive movement of bar 72 in a clockwise directionafter upward pivotal movement thereof to'its dotted line position 72ainFIG. 4, the finger member 77 is provided adjacent the lower side of slot36 as previously explained. Thus upon release from finger 76 by upwardmovement of the latch arm 72, movement of the latch pin 79 along thesloping opening 36 produces interfering engagement between pin 79 andfinger 77 striking the latter and kicking the latch bar 72 downwardly toreverse its pivotal motion. In so doing, the secondary latch finger 78is brought into interfering alignment with the slotted opening 36 andpin 79, to engage the latter and arrest the separators until latch bar72 isagain raised to its dotted line position 72a.

It thus will be understood that upon initial escapement of latch finger76 and latch pin 79, the compartmentalizing separators 44 and 45 slidedownwardly from their FIG. 1 positions to their FIG. 2 positions atwhich point the pin 79 is abuttingly engaged by the secondary latchfinger78. As the cups in stack 2 are depleted and finally exhausted,latch bar 72 is again raised permitting escape of pin 79 from finger 78.Inasmuch as the righthand wall 51 of the separator 45 at this stage ofevents is abutted against the inside face of wall for the magazine,there is no further'movement of the separator 45 toward that wall.However, the secondary release of the pin 79 from finger 78 permitsseparator 44 to move inside separator 45 translating the same from itsFIG. 2 to its FIG. 3 position, thereby relocating stack No. 3 over thecup drop 20.

In order to effectuate the desired periodic lifting of the latch'bar 72to produce sequential escapement of pin 79 from the latch fingers 76 and78 as above described, the drive means 19 employs a push rod 85 (seeFIG. 4) which is pivotally joined 'to the arm 82 of the latch bar 72 bypivot connector 86 projecting outwardly from the latch bar 72 through anelongated slotted opening 87 adjacent the upper end of rod85. The lowerend of the push rod is joined by pivot means 88 to an upstanding earportion 89 near the outer end of an actuator arm 90 (see FIGS. 4, 7 and8).

Arm is pivotally supported at one end on a pivot shaft means 91 carriedbetween spaced mounting ears 92,92 projecting upwardly from platformwall 30 rearwardly of the back wall of the magazine (see FIG. 5). Thepivotal mounting of arm 90 is such as to permit the same to move towardand away from the rear wall of the magazine, or that is laterally onshaft 91 as well as up and down relative to the platform wall 30. Thisis accomplished simply by providing a pair of spaced mounting ears 93and 94 at the base or pivotally connected end of the arm 90, to fitbetween the mounting ears 92,92 and through which the pivot shaft 91extends. The opening in ear 94 is elongated along an axis parallelingthe plane of wall 30 whereby actuator 90 is permitted to pivot, withinlimits, about its car 93 on rod 91; such limit being determined by theextent of the.

slotted opening in car 94. Lateral movement of arm 90 is opposed in onedirection by spring means 95 joined between the outer end thereof andplatform wall 30 as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. Thus movement of theac .tuator toward the rear wall of the'magazine serves to tension spring95 and the latter then operates to retract the armto its normaloperating position, as viewed in FIG. 7.

Regarding the movements of the arm 90, it will be understood that upwardmovement of the outer end thereof effects upward movement of the pushrod 85, lifting the latch bar 72 and releasing latch pin 79 fromlatching fingers 76 and 78, as the case may be. In order to effect theneeded periodic vertical pivotal movement of the arm 90 about its pivotconnector 91, arm 90 is provided with a cam following finger portion 97depending downwardly from its main portion 98 between the outer earportion 89 thereon and its pivotal connection with pin 91. When the arm90 is in its innermost position, or that is, closest to wall 27 of themagazine (effected by means to be described presently) the followerfinger portion 97 is adapted to engage an upwardly projecting camportion 99 associated with a reciprocating actuator 100, mounted beneaththe platform wall 30 (see FIG. 6). It will be noted that the cam portion99 is substantially triangular-shaped and extends above the plane ofplatform wall 30 while the cam follower portion 97 is bifurcated toprovide a groove 101 capable of straddling the wedge-shaped cam portion99 as the latter reciprocates therebeneath in response to reciprocatingactivity of the actuator 100, as will be described presently. Of course,as the wedge-shaped cam portion 99 advances toward follower 97, itraises the push rod 85 and actuator arm 90 until it travels past thefollower, whereupon arm 90 drops vertically to effect reciprocatingup-and-down activity of the push rod 85 as indicated by the directionalarrows in FIG. 7.

With particular reference now to FIG. 6 of the drawings, the features ofthe actuator means 100 will be described. As there shown, actuator 100is formed as a stamped metal member of generally elongated configurationwhich is mounted for linear reciprocating movement beneath platform wall30 of the magazine. Thus the main body 102 of the actuator 100 isdisposed between a guide pin 103 extending transversely thereof betweenparallel-spaced mounting ears 104,104 struck outwardly of the magazinebottom wall 30, to straddle opposite lateral margins of the body portion102. Additional guide means for the actuator are provided by anelongated slotted opening 105 formed through the body portion 102thereof adjacent its righthand end as viewed in FIG. 6. A guide pin 106projects outwardly of the bottom wall 30 through the slotted opening 105and a C-shaped locking ring 107 prevents disassociation of the bodyportion 102 from the pin 106. The actuator cam portion 99 is struckoutwardly of the body portion 102 to extend upwardly through an openingformed for that purpose in the magazines bottom wall 30, which openingis generally formed in striking of the ears 104,104 from bottom wall 30.Thus it will be recognized that the body portion 102 of the actuator 100is mounted for rectilinear reciprocating motion between the pin 103 andthe bottom face of the magazine platform 30 and is guided in its linearmovement by pin means 106 and the slotted opening 105.

At the opposite end of body portion 102 from that provided with theslotted guide opening 105, is an enlarged portion 109 of generallyrectangular configuration formed with its longitudinal axis generallytransverse to the lengthwise axis of actuator 100. An elongated slottedopening 110 is provided generally centrally of such portion 109 toreceive a drive roller means 111 projecting outwardly of an underlying,rotatably driven, disc earn 112 affixed to the shaft 113 of a drivemotor and reduction gear unit 115, as best shown in FIGS. 1, 4, 7 and 8.The drive roller 111 is disposed off-center or eccentrically of therotational axis for the disc cam 112 to impart cranking action to theactuator 100. The periphery of cam 112 further constitutes a continuouscam surface having a depression or node area 116 which cooperates with afollower arm 117 of a microswitch 118. Switch 118 serves to deenergizethe motor means 115. With this arrangement motor means 115 isautomatically deenergized each time the follower means 117 enters thenode 116 thereby to effect a single rotation per operating cycle for thedisc cam 112. Attached to switch 118 and motor means 115 are suitableelectrical connection means 120 to electrically associate the same witha conventional electrical power source and attendant coin acceptor andaccummulator circuitry of the vending machine which operate toperiodically energize motor means 115 upon deposit of a predeterminedcoin value by the customer, in a known manner in this art.

From the description of the actuator thus far set forth, it will beappreciated that rotational activity of the cam means 112 effectsrectilinear reciprocating movement of the actuator 100 in response tomove ment of the eccentrically disposed roller means 111 along slottedopening therein.

It will be recalled that in order to align the cam follower means 97with the projecting cam portion 99 of the actuator 100, it is necessaryto shift arm member 90 laterally toward the rear wall 27 of themagazine. The means for effecting such operation will now be described.

With special reference to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings, it will beseen that substantially midway along the length of the actuators bodyportion 102 and along the lower margin thereof (as shown in FIG. 6) isan extending skirt portion having a generally curvilinear bottom planprofile. Such skirt portion in fact constitutes a cam surface which, asshown best in FIGS. 7 and 8, is adapted to be engaged by a roller means121 associated with a bell crank sensing finger 122 pivotally mounted ona stub shaft 123 projecting upwardly from the bottom wall 30 of themagazine. Pivotal actuation of finger 122 on shaft 123 is effected inresponse to the following activity of the roller means 121 along acurvilinear cam surface 120. The sensing finger member 122, as noted, isformed as a bell crank having one longer arm portion 125 extendingthrough an opening 126, formed in the rear wall 27 of the magazine, adistance sufficient to permit the outer end 127 thereof (see FIG. 5) tomove interferingly beneath the opening 39 and over the cup drop means 20in the absence of a stack of cups in the latter. A return spring 128 isfastened between arm 125 and the rear wall 27 of the magazine tonormally bias the arm portion 125 across the opening 39. Positiveactuation of arm 125 away from opening 39 is effected by the activity ofthe follower means 121 along cam surface 120 in response to returningmovement of the actuator 100 (to the right as seen in FIGS. 7 and 8).

From FIG. 8 in particular it will be noted that in the absence of a cupbetween opening 39 and the cup drop 20, the sensing finger 122 is biasedby spring 128 in a counterclockwise sense to'cause the sensing arm por*tion 125 thereof to move across the space above the cup drop, aspreviously described. When this occurs, the shorter secondary armportion 130 thereof, provided with depending flange 131 adjacent itsouter end, moves inwardly toward arm 90, engaging the latter and movingit toward the rear wall 27 of the magazine. Upon this happenstance arm90 pivots laterally about its pivot pin 91 (see FIG. 5), as previouslyexplained, and thereby positions the grooved cam follower portion 97thereon in alignment with the cam portion 99 of the actuator 100 (seeFIG. 8). It will be understood that actuator 100 meanwhile has advancedaway from the motor means 115 in response to rotational operation of theeccentric carrying cam plate 112 during the latters first one-halfrotational cycle. Continued rotation of the cam plate 112 causesactuator 100 to return to its initial position thereby moving the cammeans 99 beneath the follower portion 97, lifting arm 90 and push rod85. This serves to release the latch pin 79 from latch finger 76 or 78as the case may be, for gravitational release of the compartmentalizingmeans within the magazine so as to reposition the cup stackstherewithin. On completion of the movement of cam means 99 beneath thefollower 97, spring means 95 returns the actuator arm 90 laterally toits normal noninterfering position with respect to the cam means 99.Simultaneously with the lateral movement of the actuator arm 90 awayfrom the wall 27 of the magazine, the return movement of actuator 100(to the right as viewed in FIG. 8) causes the cam portion 120 thereof toengage roller means 121 on the sensing finger, pivoting the latterclockwise to its FIG. 7 position. So long as cups are present over thecup drop, the normal operating cycle of the actuator 1630 successfullybypasses the cam follower 97 on the actuator arm, thus maintaining thecup compartmentalizing means in their latched positions until a resupplyof cups over the cup drop 20 is called for.

pensing fingersl37 in a known manner. As a conse- .quence, for eachrotational cycle of the cam member 1 12, one cup is separated from thelower end of a stack of cups and gravitationally dropped through theopen center of the cup drop mechanism 20 according to conventionalpractice. As noted previously when the supply of cups over the cup drophas been depleted sufficiently to permit the sensing finger member 122to move across the opening immediately above the cup drop housing 135the compartmentalizing means within the magazine are shifted laterallyunder the influence of gravity as hereinabove described This places afresh supply of cups over the cup drop. In this particular embodimentthere are three such stacks of It will be appreciated that upon thedepletion of cup stack 1, for example, the sensing finger 12.2 movesacross the opening 39 above the cup drop, initiating the first releaseof the latch pin 79 from the latch finger 76. I

This permits stack 2 to move or advance over the cup drop oepning asspecifically illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings. Simultaneously,stack 3 moves with stack 2 to its FIG. 2 position. Upon the depletion ofthe cups from stack 2 the release of the latch pin 79 from the latchfinger 78 occurs, releasing the compartmentalizing separator 44, andpermitting the latter to slide relative to the separator 45 to relocatestack No. 3 over the cup drop, as illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings.Thus the three stacks of cups within the magazine are successivelydisposed over the cup drop for dispensing by the latter. Resetting ofthe magazine to its initial FIG. 1 position and more specifically sorelocating the compartmentalizing means therein, is done manually byshifting the separator means 44 and 45 up the slope of slots 36 and 37and latching pin 79 with finger 76, whereat the columns may be reloadedwith cups in readiness for recycling the above described operation.

Turning now to the features of the cup drop mechanism 20, it will beunderstood by those familiar with the art that the same comprises aconventional ring-type cup drop apparatus of the order disclosed in U.S. Pat. 3,071,292, issued Jan. 1, 1963. As such, the same includes aring housing 135 (see FIG. 6) which is adapted to be located beneath theplatform wall 30 and held to the latter by means of connector studs136,136 having enlarged head ends insertable in the keyhole openingsprovided therefor in the platform wall, such as opening 40 and 41. Thisremovably suspends the cup drop means in operating position beneathopening39. A plurality of dispensing fingers 137 are included in themechanism 20 for engaging the lip or rim of conventional paper cups andseparating the lowermost one thereof from the overdisposed stack togravitationally release the same in response to cyclic operation of anoperating mechanism for the several dispensing fingers 137.Specifically, fingers 137 are actuated in response to limited arcuateactuation of an associated linkage system housed within ring 135 andformed with tail member 138 projecting outwardly from ring 135. The tailmember 138 extends through a slotted opening 140 provided in adownwardly extending lip wall 141 associated with the actuator member100. Thus as the actuator 100 is linearly reciprocated in response toactuation of its eccentric connection with the cam plate 112, the tail138 is cyclicly reciprocated to actuate the discups although it will bereadily appreciated that the principles and teachings hereinabovedisclosed are readily adaptable to any convenient number of cup stacks.

While the foregoing description sets forth the features and workings ofa preferred embodiment of the concepts and teachings pertinent to thisinvention, it is to be understood that the same is not limited theretoexcept as may appear in the following appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for storing and dispensing paper cups comprising: agenerally rectangular parallelopipedshaped storage magazine having aplanar back wall and parallel side walls extending at right angles fromthe lateral margins of said back wall, said back wall having a pair ofparallel spaced slotted openings extending diagonally between said sidewalls; at least two compartmentalizing means supported within saidmagazine for gravitational sliding movement along said openings, towardone of said side walls; one of said compartmentalizing means beingnested within the other for movement relative thereto and with thelatter relative to said magazine; multiple latch means for holding eachof said compartmentalizing means in predetermined positions spacedlaterally of said one side wall whereat the same divide the interior ofsaid magazine into at least three vertical compartments, each receptiveof a stack of paper cups; cup drop means communicating with an openingin the bottom wall of said magazine adjacent said one side wall, meansfor cyclicly operating said cup drop means to dispense individual cupsfrom the lower end of a stack of cups positioned thereover, and linkagemeans periodically actuated by said cup drop means for operating saidlatch means to initially release both said compartmentalizing means formovement relative to the magazine and thereafter said onecompartmentalizing means for independent movement relative to said otherthereof whereby the stacks of paper cups therein are successivelypositioned over said cup drop means.

2. The invention of claim 1 and sensing means actuated by said means foroperating said cup drop means to determine the presence and absence ofcups over said cup drop means, the same being operable to initiateactuation of said linkage means in the absence of cups thereover.

3. The invention of claim 2, and inclined guideway means supporting thelower ends of the stacks of paper cups in said compartmentalizing meansand operable to guide the same into said cup drop means.

1. Apparatus for storing and dispensing paper cups comprising: agenerally rectangular parallelopiped-shaped storage magazine having aplanar back wall and parallel side walls extending at right angles fromthe lateral margins of said back wall, said back wall having a pair ofparallel spaced slotted openings extending diagonally between said sidewalls; at least two compartmentalizing means supported within saidmagazine for gravitational sliding movement along said openings, towardone of said side walls; one of said compartmentalizing means beingnested within the other for movement relative thereto and with thelatter relative to said magazine; multiple latch means for holding eachof said compartmentalizing means in predetermined positions spacedlaterally of said one side wall whereat the same divide the interior ofsaid magazine into at least three vertical compartments, each receptiveof a stack of paper cups; cup drop means communicating with an openingin the bottom wall of said magazine adjacent said one side wall, meansfor cyclicly operating said cup drop means to dispense individual cupsfrom the lower end of a stack of cups positioned thereover, and linkagemeans periodically actuated by said cup drop means for operating saidlatch means to initially release both said compartmentalizing means formovement relative to the magazine and thereafter said onecompartmentalizing means for independent movement relative to said otherthereof whereby the stacks of paper cups therein are successivelypositioned over said cup drop means.
 2. The invention of claim 1 andsensing means actuated by said means for operating said cup drop meansto determine the presence and absence of cups over said cup drop means,the same being operable to initiate actuation of said linkage means inthe absence of cups thereover.
 3. The invention of claim 2, and inclinedguideway means supporting the lower ends of the stacks of paper cups insaid compartmentalizing means and operable to guide the same into saidcup drop means.